Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur are now holding internal talks over landing a new forward for Ange Postecoglou this January as they look to bolster their ranks in hopes of an improved second half of the Premier League campaign.

Tottenham lose again

After illness and injuries ransacked the Tottenham squad, the Lilywhites fell to another home Premier League defeat as Newcastle edged past them 2-1.

Despite an early Spurs goal from Dominic Solanke, goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon proved enough for Eddie Howe’s side to escape north London with all three points, and condemn Tottenham to their 10th league loss in just 20 games.

Without key men across the pitch, Postecoglou’s side have already moved to sign a new goalkeeper this transfer window and are likely to strengthen further and are thought to be targeting a defender and a forward this window.

Both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert have been sidelined for much of the season, leaving Postecoglou low on options in attack, something that has resulted in Timo Werner continuing to start despite a public dressing down from the Spurs boss.

Brennan Johnson

Heung-min Son

Timo Werner

Dejan Kulusevski

Dominic Solanke

Postecoglou dubbed his performances “not acceptable” after replacing him at half-time in the 1-1 Europa League draw at Rangers just under a month ago, but the German has since featured in every game whether as a substitute or a starter.

It is clear that fresh blood is needed in attack, with Heung-Min Son having seen his form drop off a cliff so far this campaign and Dejan Kulusevski preferred in central areas by the Tottenham boss. Now, discussions have taken place over a new potential addition to their frontline.

Tottenham hold internal talks over attacker

That is according to Ben Jacobs, who reports that Tottenham have held internal talks over a move to sign PSG talent Randal Kolo Muani this January after the player’s camp contacted Spurs last month.

Unwanted by the French champions, it had previously been reported that Kolo Muani had offered himself to the Lilywhites, but now it appears that this is an option Spurs are taking seriously.

Jacobs claims that the French international is “expected to leave PSG in January” and that “several clubs across Europe are interested.” One of those is Postecoglou’s side, who have “discussed” a deal internally, though it is stressed that they are “yet to make an approach”.

It is added that PSG are “open to a loan, but ideally with an obligation”, while the “French champions prefer a permanent exit”, something that seems highly unlikely in January given the price likely needed to sell him plus his hefty £202,000 a week wages in the French capital.

Fewer touches than Werner: Ange must sell 3/10 Spurs flop who won 0 duels

Tottenham fell to another Premier League defeat against Newcastle United.

4 ByAngus Sinclair Jan 5, 2025

Though things have not worked out for Kolo Muani since his big-money move to PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt, he has remained a key part of the French national team and is highly regarded by his teammates.

Indeed, former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi put him among the best forwards in Europe, explaining that “Randal has the qualities. A confident Randal is one of the best strikers in Europe. I hope he gets a lot more playing time because he will help them a lot more.”

Could Tottenham be the side to provide that confidence, and reap the rewards?

MatériaMais Notícias

da pinnacle： Na Arena, o Grêmio mostrou a sua força e bateu o CSA por 2 a 0, resultado que manteve o Tricolor na vice-liderança da Série B, com 56 pontos.Perto do acesso, a equipe faz as projeções para carimbar o retorno à elite. O técnico Renato Gaúcho, porém, faz questão de colocar o pé no freio em relação a empolgação da torcida.

RelacionadasGrêmioGeromel valoriza desempenho do Grêmio em casa pela Série BGrêmio04/10/2022VídeoVÍDEO: melhores momentos da vitória do Grêmio sobre o CSA pela Série BVídeo04/10/2022Futebol NacionalGrêmio domina, vence o CSA e se mantém na vice-liderança da Série BFutebol Nacional04/10/2022

da winzada777： Na coletiva de imprensa (vídeo acima), o treinador garantir que não faz contas e quer pensar no próximo jogo, quando o Grêmio encara o Londrina, fora de casa.

– Não fiz contas. Vamos jogo a jogo. A cada rodada. Hoje demos um passo importante, mas os adversários também venceram. O importante que fizemos nossa parte. Temos um jogo difícil contra o Londrina. Sempre buscamos as vitórias. Vamos pensar no Londrina, buscar um resultado positivo e ver o que acontece na rodada. Após o Londrina pode pensar em quantos pontos vão faltar, mas no momento vamos de rodada a rodada – disse Renato.

CALENDÁRIO

Nas últimas cinco rodadas da Série B, o Grêmio mede forças diante do Londrina (fora), Bahia (casa), Náutico (fora), Tombense (fora) e Brusque (casa).

Manchester United are “really interested” in signing a “fantastic” defender and enquiries have already been made, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Lots of work for Ruben Amorim to do

The 2-1 victory over Manchester City could have been a real turning point for United, but they have continued their dismal form since their victory at the Etihad Stadium, having lost their last three Premier League matches. Before taking the job, Ruben Amorim would’ve been well aware of the size of the task at hand, but what he’s seen from his players so far will nonetheless be of great concern.

Amorim is tasked with rebuilding the club, and with the transfer window beginning tomorrow he will get his first opportunity to make his own mark on the squad he inherited. The Portuguese tactician is tasked with bringing in players comfortable operating in his preferred three-at-the-back system, which he is unwilling to compromise on.

In such a formation, it is vital to have wing-backs capable of contributing not only defensively but also going forward, and Amorim may have now identified a left-wing back who fits the bill. Romano has dropped an update about the Red Devils’ potential transfer business in January and beyond on his YouTube channel, revealing that Milos Kerkez is set to be targeted.

The transfer expert said: “One of the players they appreciate, I told you several times, for the left-wing back position, is Milos Kerkez. I keep saying that both Man United and Liverpool have been monitoring the player, but at the moment my information is that Liverpool always prefer to go for a different profile, different kind of player.

“At the moment, Man United have been more constant in terms of enquiring, trying to understand the situation of the player, so I see Man United as a club really interested in Milos Kerkez.”

Romano also went on to say that Kerkez has recently switched agents, which is normally a clear sign that a player is looking to move to a new club in the near future.

Man Utd now have "serious interest" in injury-prone Barcelona squad player

He’s barely played all season…

ByBarney Lane Dec 30, 2024 Kerkez impressing for Bournemouth

The Hungarian has looked impressive in an AFC Bournemouth shirt from the very start, drawing praise from the media for his performance on his debut in August last year.

Last season, the 21-year-old averaged 9.85 defensive actions per 90, the highest amount of any U23 left-back in the Premier League, displaying that he is very competent defensively.

Not only that, but he has been described as “really comfy going forward” by former Middlesbrough man Robbie Mustoe, indicating that he could be the perfect option for Amorim at left-wing back.

With Luke Shaw’s injury struggles, it is obvious that Amorim needs to bring in a new left-back either in January or the summer, and Kerkez could be an excellent addition to the squad.

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن موافقة لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول على الرحيل خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وتواصل الأندية خلال الفترة الحالية تدعيم صفوفها قبل منافسات الموسم الكروي الجديد، وقد نجح ليفربول في إبرام 3 صفقات حتى الآن.

وأشارت صحيفة “ترانسفير نيوز لايف” إلى أن مدافع ليفربول الإنجليزي جارييل كوانساه، وافق على الانتقال إلى باير ليفركوزن.

اقرأ أيضًا | تقارير: باير ليفركوزن يستهدف ضم لاعب ليفربول

وأفادت تقارير سابقة أن صفقة انتقال كوانساه إلى باير ليفركوزن منفصلة عن انضمام الألماني فلوريان فيرتز، إلى ليفربول.

ووفقًا للصحيفة الإنجليزية فإن النادي الألماني سيقدم عرضًا إلى إدارة ليفربول لحسم التعاقد مع المدافع الإنجليزي صاحب الـ22 عامًا، بقيمة 30 مليون يورو.

كوانساه شارك مع ليفربول في 25 مباراة في كافة البطولات، من بينها 13 لقاء في منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويرغب الهولندي إيريك تين هاج، المدير الفني الجديد لنادي باير ليفركوزن، في إجراء تعزيزات جديدة قبل انطلاق الموسم الجديد بهدف المنافسة على لقب الدوري الألماني ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

A preview of the prospects of Jammu & Kashmir, Baroda and Gujarat ahead of the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2014

Jammu & Kashmir



By Nagraj GollapudiAs ever, Parvez Rasool will play a key role for J&K•BCCIWhere they finished last season
For the first time J&K made the knockouts, having qualified from the weaker Group C with four outright victories from eight matches. In the quarter-finals, they lost to Punjab.Big Picture
In our teens, the pretense, the desire, the ambition is to play alongside, and against, the men. An exciting phase, no doubt, but boys quickly find that the degrees of separation can be overwhelming if they are not up to the mark. This season J&K are the boys among men. They will find out whether their amazing run last year, culminating in their maiden entry into the Ranji knockouts, was a one-off or a first step towards progression into the big league.The challenge is immense. In the wake of the devastating floods in September, which also wrecked the state’s cricketing infrastructure, J&K have been forced to play all their eight matches away from home. Last year the home advantage was crucial as J&K won three out of the four home matches. This time they are slotted in Group A, effectively the group of death, where virtually every opponent will fancy making the quarter-finals stage.With such a hard task at hand, J&K will need everyone to contribute. In the last two years at least they have always relied upon the trio of allrounders in Parvez Rasool, Samiullah Beigh and Ram Dayal – the core strength and stability of the team. But J&K need more players, especially in the top and middle order, to stand strong and share the workload.In Sunil Joshi, their new coach, J&K have found the right taskmaster. Joshi, the former Karnataka and India left-arm spinner, is known for his hard-as-nails approach towards work ethic. Joshi is a soft-spoken man, but extremely positive and tough. Having spent just a month with the team, Joshi has already laid out a road map, starting with a 12-day conditioning, fitness and skills camp in Nagpur, which players confessed was strenuous. If they want to play among men, though, J&K must grow up fast.Player to watch

Umar Nazir: Tall and well-built, Nazir, a 21-year-old from Pulwama, can generate a lot of pace. He can move ball both ways, with his stock ball being the outswinger. He showed promise in his previous first-class match, only his third – the Ranji quarter-finals last year where he picked up a four-wicket haul in the first-innings, rattling the Punjab middle order.Mehjoor Ali: Tall like Nazir at 6’2″, Mehjoor’s strength is also raw pace. He has a high-arm action, hits the deck hard, and is able to make the ball bounce from awkward lengths, something the Delhi pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir found hard to tackle recently in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Teamspeak
“Our challenge going to be playing bigger teams. Performing against the big teams will add value not only to J&K cricket, but also highlight a player’s talent. We are here to play well. We are here to compete.” Sunil Joshi, newly installed J&K coach, declares the team’s intent at the outset of the new season.

Baroda



By Rachna ShettyDeepak Hooda has had an impressive year with the bat and ball in the Under-19 World Cup and Vijay Hazare Trophy•ICCWhere they finished last season
Mid-table in Group B with three wins and four losses in eight games.Big Picture
Like last season, Baroda will once again start their Ranji Trophy campaign against Bengal. They will, however, hope the similarities end there, because results like last season could leave them stranded towards the bottom of the table, in a group that is probably one of the toughest they have played in recent times.Coach Tushar Arothe has said that one of the first things the team will need to do is find the right home surfaces early on. Arothe hopes that more balanced pitches will help the Baroda batsmen find their groove early, unlike last season in which regular collapses in their initial home games brought the track under scrutiny.A large share of the batting responsibilities will once again rest on the shoulders of openers Saurabh Wakaskar and Aditya Waghmode, who has been named captain.Baroda’s bowling is expected to be led by Munaf Patel, and they have strengthened their spin reserves by recalling left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh, who made his first-class debut for Baroda at the age of 14. Swapnil’s last first-class match was in 2011. Irfan Pathan, who played three games as a batsman last season, is still regaining his fitness and could be a part of the side as the tournament progresses.Player to watch

India Under-19 allrounder Deepak Hooda is an exciting prospect for Baroda this season. He was impressive during the Under-19 World Cup in February this year, finishing second on the list of run-scorers and wicket-takers in the Indian side. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he topped both the runs and the wickets tables for Baroda with 202 runs and 10 wickets in four games.Teamspeak
“We found out our drawbacks from last season. The first games we played on a turning track, which wasn’t very good because the batsmen needed confidence. For Bengal, we have prepared a good track.” Coach Tushar Arothe

Gujarat



By Vishal DikshitWhere they finished last season
Fourth in Group A, behind Karnataka, Punjab and Mumbai. Were fourth in Group A in 2012-13 as well.Big PictureGujarat narrowly missed out on qualifying for the knockouts in the last two seasons. The season before that, 2011-12, they had finished last in Group B of the Elite league. The team has taken massive strides since then without experienced players like Niraj Patel, Bhavik Thaker and Siddharth Trivedi. Parthiv Patel, the Gujarat captain, calls it the “transition phase.”They are driven more by youngsters now, such as Akshar Patel, Manpreet Juneja, Smit Patel, among others. Akshar’s match-winning 64 in the Deodhar Trophy semi-final and regular wickets against Sri Lanka in the ODIs emphasised that his performance in the IPL was not a flash in the pan. Their other promising youngsters are pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Rush Kalaria, opener Priyank Panchal, and Smit, who would want to carry his strong run from Vijay Hazare Trophy to Ranji Trophy.They have bolstered their spin department with Ramesh Powar after losing Rakesh Dhurv to Vidarbha, and their batting will be led by veterans Parthiv and Venugopal Rao, just like last season. Their weakness would be their pace attack which lacks the experience their batsmen possess.Gujarat’s next aim would be to at least make the knockouts this season. They are in the relatively easier Group B.Player to Watch
Twenty-nine wickets in seven matches in last season’s Ranji Trophy, 17 in this year’s IPL, ODI debut in June, and the leading wicket-taker against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Akshar Patel, who called himself a batting allrounder recently, will be Gujarat’s trump card. However, if he is selected for the ODI tri-series in Australia in January, Gujarat will have to make do without him for their last four matches in January and February.Teamspeak
“For me, the past two seasons were about transition. We were rebuilding the team, giving chance to youngsters while phasing out senior players who had failed to deliver. The transition is over now. It is time to deliver.” Vijay Patel, the Gujarat coach.

أشعلت صورة ضمت أنطونيو روديجر، مدافع ريال مدريد، برفقة فرناندو هييرو، المدير الرياضي لنادي النصر السعودي، والوسيط المعروف فران بوراس، التكهنات بشأن احتمال انتقال اللاعب إلى دوري روشن خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية.

وباتت السعودية وجهة مفضلة للنجوم المخضرمين الباحثين عن تحدٍ جديد بعقود مجزية، ويبدو أن روديجر، الذي يرتبط بعقد مع ريال مدريد حتى يونيو 2026، قد يكون أحدث الأسماء المستهدفة من النصر، الساعي لتعزيز خطه الدفاعي قبل انطلاق الموسم.

وظهر روديجر خلال لقاء ودي على مأدبة عشاء جمعته بأسطورة ريال مدريد هييرو وبوراس، في صورة وصفها البعض بأنها تحمل مؤشرات واضحة على وجود مفاوضات أولية، بحسب صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماركا: رودريجو يبلغ إدارة ريال مدريد بقراره النهائي بشأن مستقبله

ويُعرف الوسيط فران بوراس بعلاقته الوثيقة بفرناندو هييرو، كما سبق أن لعب أدوارًا رئيسية في صفقات مشابهة، ما يعزز التكهنات بأن اللقاء لم يكن اجتماعيًا فقط بل خطوة تمهيدية لصفقة مدوية.

ورغم ارتباط روديجر بعقد طويل الأمد مع ريال مدريد، لا يُمانع الملكي فكرة بيع الألماني هذا الصيف إذا تلقى عرضًا مناسبًا، بشرط إيجاد بديل بنفس القدرات الدفاعية والخبرة الدولية، خصوصًا في ظل تركيز النادي على تجديد دمائه.

وكان روديجر قد خضع مؤخرًا لعملية جراحية في الركبة، ويركز حاليًا على استعادة جاهزيته للمشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية، التي قد تكون آخر بطولة كبرى له بقميص ريال مدريد إذا مضت المفاوضات في طريقها.

اللاعب البالغ من العمر 32 عامًا قدم موسمًا مميزًا مع ريال مدريد، لكنه يدرك أن فرصة اختتام مسيرته بعقد ضخم في دوري روشن قد لا تتكرر، في ظل تقدم العمر ووجود رغبة فعلية من النصر في ضمه.

India haven’t won a T20 World Cup since their success in the inaugural edition in 2007. In the last edition, they couldn’t qualify for the knockouts despite being one of the favourites. But, according to Rohit Sharma, that is not evidence of the team’s “conservative” approach in the format. However, he said that the team management has now given the players the freedom to play freely.”We haven’t got the results in the World Cups but that doesn’t mean we were playing bad cricket for so many years,” Rohit said the day before the first T20I against West Indies. “I don’t agree that we were playing conservative cricket. If you lose an odd game in the World Cup, it seems we were doing things wrong and we didn’t take chances. But if you look [at it], we won probably 80% [71%] of our games leading into the World Cup. If you are conservative, you won’t win these many games.Related

• West Indies boosted by Hetmyer's return as India look to fine-tune T20I approach

• Will Pant continue to open in Rahul's absence?

• India bring back Paddy Upton as mental conditioning coach

“Yes, we didn’t qualify [for the knockouts in 2021], but that happens. It doesn’t mean we were not playing freely. Lately also we haven’t made any such changes; we are playing in the same manner but we have given the freedom to the players to play their game. Because if you play freely, you will get the performances.”So those who are outside should have patience. The way we are playing, there will be failures and the results may not always go our way. But that doesn’t mean the players are not good enough, or the team is not good enough. It’s just that we are trying to do something new. With time, everyone has to change. We are changing and those on the outside should also change the way they think.”Last month, head coach Rahul Dravid had talked about playing “a slightly more attacking brand of cricket”. The results are there to see. In T20I cricket this year, India have scored at a rate of 9.45 per over, their best in a calendar year where they have played more than one match. Only New Zealand (9.58) have scored at a faster rate than India this year.One way to make players bat freely, Rohit said, was to ask them to bat as if they were playing for their franchises or state teams, and not think too much about the results.”We can talk about technique and all during the preparation but in the match, players should be given the freedom,” he said. “We are telling them to play the way they play for their franchise or state. There they don’t take much pressure, so here also they need to do the same. Of course, international cricket has a different pressure but it’s our [the team management’s] job to reduce that pressure and, if possible, completely eliminate it. So we are trying to give the boys that environment where they play freely and don’t think too much about their performance.”Another thing the team is focusing on is creating the right environment. They have brought back mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, whose inclusion, Rohit felt, could “make a difference”.Paddy Upton was with the Indian team during the 2011 World Cup as well•Prakash Singh/AFP

“On the field, we anyway play as a unit, but it is also important that off the field too players stay together, have fun together, pull each other’s legs,” he said. “That’s something which creates a good team environment. So our focus is on that as well, how we can keep the environment light and enjoy ourselves.”I think his [Upton’s] inclusion in the squad will help all of us. He has got so much experience working with different teams at different places. He will definitely bring the mental side of the game into the picture. He has worked with the Indian team before. He was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team and he has had some success in franchise cricket as well.”He knows a lot of our players as well, he has worked with them closely. The mental side of the game, as we know, is very, very important. With his experience, with his ideology, I think it’s going to help us.”It’s [only] his second or third day with the team. He is probably just observing the guys he hasn’t worked with. I am sure he will start his work soon, will start talking to the players and get their thoughts as well. And yeah, we are very excited to have him in the squad. I genuinely feel that he can make a difference in this team.”

Nepal captain to leave CPL with immediate effect after being released by Jamaica Tallawahs

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2022Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been suspended by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) after an arrest warrant was issued against him in Kathmandu over an alleged case of coercion of another person.On Thursday, it was made public that a complaint against Lamichhane was lodged in a Kathmandu police station. At the time, Lamichhane was in the West Indies with Jamaica Tallawahs for CPL 2022. Lamichhane has not featured in any of the three games for the side so far, and Tallawahs announced on Thursday that he would be leaving the tournament with immediate effect.The statement from CAN’s acting secretary Prashant Vikram Malla said that Lamichhane’s suspension would remain in place pending a complete investigation. It also said that Lamichhane has been summoned to report to the police in Kathmandu, who are investigating the complaint. The decision to suspend him was taken following a meeting of the CAN board.Lamichhane tweeted a response, saying he was “taking leave” from the CPL and returning to Nepal. He stressed his innocence and said he was ready to face the “baseless allegations”. Lamichhane, 22, is Nepal’s most high-profile cricketer, the only one to have played in T20 leagues around the world, including the IPL, the Big Bash League, the BPL, the Lanka Premier League and the CPL. His fame grew exponentially when in January 2018, at age 17, he became the first Nepal player to be snapped up at an IPL auction, fetching a bid of INR 20 lakh [at the time US$ 31,000 approx.] from Delhi Daredevils [no Delhi Capitals].Since his international debut in May 2018, he has represented Nepal in 30 ODIs and 44 T20Is. One of the highlights for him was a haul of 17 wickets in a Player-of-the-Tournament performance at 2018 WCL Division Two in Namibia, which propelled Nepal into the World Cup Qualifier for only the second time ever.In December 2021, Lamichhane replaced Gyanendra Malla as Nepal’s captain, and is currently the sixth-youngest man to captain an ODI team. Lamichhane is also currently the second-fastest man to 50 ODI wickets and is the third-fastest man to 50 T20I wickets.

Mikel Arteta will be looking to secure a return to winning ways for his Arsenal side tonight when they host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

The Gunners suffered their first defeat in all competitions at the weekend against Bournemouth in the Premier League, losing 2-0 after William Saliba’s dismissal within the first half hour of the encounter.

However, the Frenchman will be available to feature tonight, hoping to right his wrongs from the weekend and help the Spaniard’s side make it three games unbeaten in the European competition this season.

Undoubtedly, after the recent setback, the boss will have a decision to make about his squad selection to avoid a second successive loss whilst also giving the side the best chance of getting back on track.

However, if his side are to win once more in Europe, he may have to drop one player after his display on the South Coast on Saturday evening.

Why Merino could be dropped by Arteta vs Shakhtar

After his £27m transfer during the summer transfer window, midfielder Mikel Merino arrived with the hope of transforming Arteta’s midfield department and helping their push for the Premier League title.

However, the 28-year-old has endured a tricky start to life in North London, suffering a shoulder issue in training and restricting the Spaniard from making an immediate impact at the Emirates.

He’d made two substitute appearances before the weekend, but his start against the Cherries on Saturday was his first for the Gunners, but he failed to take advantage of the opportunity handed his way.

During his 81-minute display, the Spain international lost possession 16 times whilst also losing eight duels as he looked a tad off the pace during the defeat.

Minutes played

81

Touches

51

Passes completed

23/34 (68%)

Possession lost

16x

Duels lost

8

Dribbled past

4x

Key passes

1

Merino also only completed 68% of the passes he attempted, only making one key pass in the process – undoubtedly leading to his withdrawal, subsequently being replaced by youngster Ethan Nwaneri.

As a result of his below-par display, he could lose his place ahead of tonight’s clash with Shakhtar, potentially being replaced by one talent who could provide another dimension to Arteta’s side.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The man who could replace Merino

Suspensions and injuries have often plagued the Gunners early on in the new campaign, limiting the options available to the Spaniard at certain moments.

Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Merino all missed the North London Derby earlier this season due to injury or suspension, but despite their absences, the club was able to secure bragging rights once again.

During that day, midfielder Nwaneri once again made an appearance, with the 17-year-old now making three substitute appearances in all competitions this season.

However, given Merino’s recent display, the youngster could be deserving of an opportunity in the best club competition in the world, starting from the off and giving the Spaniard a decision to make should he impress.

The England U19 international has already started once against Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, taking his opportunity with both hands, scoring twice and looking more than comfortable in the first team.

Upon his substitute appearance against Bournemouth at the weekend, Nwaneri completed 100% of his passes as he tried to spark a comeback for the Gunners.

Whilst he was unable to do so, the “unplayable” talent, as described by former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere, has consistently shown from the bench he has the ability to start from the off at the Emirates.

Tonight could be the perfect opportunity for the 17-year-old, staking his claim for a regular starting role under Arteta in the near future as his team look to make it third time lucky in their pursuit of a Premier League title.

£25m wasted: Arteta needs to sell 5/10 Arsenal dud after Bournemouth

Arsenal must ditch 5/10 star who’s cost the club over £25m.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 22, 2024

Attempting to make up for a disappointing summer transfer window, Newcastle United are now reportedly battling the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea to sign a young gem they’ve been desperate to welcome to St James’ Park since he was just 16.

Newcastle transfer news

Whilst the Magpies deserve credit for how they’ve started the season, losing just once in the Premier League, it hasn’t taken long for their squad depth – or lack thereof – to catch up to them. Without Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson against Everton at Goodison Park, Eddie Howe was forced to rely on former Toffee Anthony Gordon to lead the line, who missed from the penalty spot to send Newcastle on their way with just a point rather than all three.

It’s depth that Newcastle must solve when 2025 arrives in a problem that sporting director Paul Mitchell seems well aware of, given recent rumours. Ahead of the January transfer window, the Magpies have already been linked with moves for the likes of Antoine Semenyo and now a star for the future.

According to O Jogo via Sport Witness, Newcastle are now battling to sign Roger Fernandes from SC Braga, who they were desperate to sign in 2022 when the winger was just 16 years old. Now 18 years old and even better, Fernandes has attracted the interest of Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa, among others, in a race that Newcastle will hope to win when 2025 arrives.

Isak will love him: Newcastle will look at signing elite PL winner in 2025

He could be available on a free transfer in the summer of 2025.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 8, 2024

A player who is even reportedly on the radar of Portugal manager Roberto Martinez ahead of a potential call-up at just 18 years old, Fernandes could quickly emerge to become the ultimate replacement for Miguel Almiron at St James’ Park.

"Exciting" Fernandes would replace Almiron for years to come

Whilst the likes of Jacob Murphy have stepped up to offer Howe an upgrade on the out-of-favour Almiron, Newcastle would be wise to turn towards a future star in Fernandes if they want to sign a permanent solution on the right-hand side. Just 18 years old, the Portuguese winger is already making his mark on senior football, with two goals to his name so far this season to follow last campaign’s total of six goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Dubbed “one of the most exciting talents in Portugal” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig last season, Fernandes remains one to watch amid such high interest from around European football.

As Almiron potentially bows out, Fernandes could arrive to hand Howe an attacking boost for years to come at St James’ Park.